September 11, 2017. On a late autumn’s day, Langrun Garden opened its gates to welcome a delegation led by Professor Michael Arthur, President and Provost of University College London (UCL).

Professor Yao Yang, Dean of the National School of Development at Peking University (PKU NSD), Professor Yang Zhuang, Co-Dean of PKU NSD BiMBA Business School, Professor Zhang Lee, Academic Director of the MBA Program at PKU NSD BiMBA Business School, Dr Gu Qifeng, Executive Dean of PKU NSD BiMBA Business School, Dr Du Guiying, Academic Dean of PKU NSD BiMBA Business School, as well as many other teachers and students received Professor Michael Arthur and his delegation.

This was a strategic visit to China, particularly as regards PKU, for Professor Michael Arthur and his delegation, with the aim of enhancing cooperation between the two world-renowned universities.

It was precisely a year ago, i.e. in the autumn of 2016, that UCL and PKU officially signed a Memorandum of Agreement to offer an MBA program jointly by PKU NSD and UCL School of Management.Students who qualify for the degree will receive an MBA degree awarded by UCL upon graduation.Thanks to the dedication of both PKU NSD and UCL School of Management, the first batch of part-time and full-time MBA students entered Langrun Garden campus at PKU NSD at the beginning of September 2017, and have since studied in the joint MBA programme for some two months. Hence, the focus of the visit by Professor Michael Arthur and his delegation was to personally meet the inaugural batch of the MBA students and interact with them.

Dean Yao Yang, together with numerous teachers and students, welcomed Professor Michael Arthur and his delegation at the gates of PKU NSD’s Langrun Garden. The Dean gave a brief introduction to the history of Langrun Garden to the visitors, and accompanied Professor Michael Arthur and his delegation to take a group photo with the inaugural batch of PKU-UCL MBA students.

Teachers and students of PKU NSD then moved on to Zhifuxuan Classroom with the visitors to have cordial discussions.

Presided over by Dean Yao Yang, PKU NSD BiMBA Business School Co-Dean, Professor Yang Zhuang, introduced the history and unique features of BiMBA, particularly BiMBA's leading position and teaching philosophy in running a Sino-foreign joint MBA program. Professor Zhang Lee, Academic Director of the MBA Program at PKU NSD BiMBA Business School, then briefly spoke about the admission conditions and curriculum of the first PKU-UCL joint MBA program, as well as the innovations and challenges encountered during the running the program.

Meanwhile, Professor Zhang Lee hosted a lively Q&A session with PKU-UCL’s MBA students who sought advice from Professor Michael Arthur with regard to the ways in which a graduate could truly integrate into the UCL and PKU NSD alumni groups and  the means to raise public awareness for the PKU-UCL MBA brand as well as other issues.

Professor Michael Arthur provided humorous but firm answers. Like PKU NSD, UCL will make alumni resources and activities available to the students. He encouraged the students to work hard to jointly spread the brand and raise the quality of the program so that it may become a first-class program in the MBA field.

The UCL School of Management, which runs the joint MBA program with PKU NSD, is located at “One Canada Square”, a landmark tower in Canary Wharf along the River Thames at the heart of London’s financial district. Its neighbors include many renowned enterprises such as the global headquarters of HSBC, Europe’s largest financial incubator, and the UK headquarters of Alibaba.